


But Come the Dawn

by DoreyG



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (Specifically Feriowind's art), (sort of), Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Character Study, Gen, Pokemon fusion, Post-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Avengers (2012), based on art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 19:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1995636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoreyG/pseuds/DoreyG
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he wakes up there's a Shieldon staring at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Come the Dawn

When he wakes up there's a Shieldon staring at him.

Or at least that's what he _thinks_ it's called, from his vague memories of the books that his grandma used to read him when he barely came up to her knee. Those books used to say that Shieldon were long gone, absolutely extinct, sadly wiped off the face of the earth when an asteroid came hammering down on them.

...Obviously not.

"Hey, little guy," he grumbles, somewhat surprised to find his voice rough as he extends an oddly shaky hand for it to sniff, "where did you come from?"

The Shieldon, as expected, doesn't exactly leap at him. It watches him with narrow eyed suspicion for a long moment, shifts awkwardly on its stumpy little legs, tries very hard to appear like it’s not watching his every single move.

"It's alright, I'm not gonna hurt you," he just smiles, keeps his hand extended even though it’s costing him a _lot_ more effort than it ever has before, "I'm just as confused as you are. Shh, it's okay. Shh, it's alright. See?"

The Shieldon continues to look suspicious, but loses some of the tension in its limbs. It finally raises its head to look at him, takes an ambling step forward as if trying to measure his reaction.

Luckily he's used to dealing with jumpy Pokemon, has been since even before his grandmother read him all those stories about ancient things. He picked up his first Pokemon, Libby the then Growlithe, when he was four years old and rescued her from a bunch of bored bullies near his house. He found his second _proper_ Pokemon, Bucky the then Rufflet, in sort of the same fashion - picking him from a puddle of water during training, and nursing him steadily back to health no matter what. And that's not even counting the original Bucky's set of extremely jumpy Pokemon, or Peggy's somewhat lethal few, or even-

A sense of extreme wrong ripples through him, the kind of sickly feeling that has characterized every single moment before the storm that he's ever faced. He forces it down, just for now, in favour of smiling at the Shieldon taking another baby step towards him - daring enough to reach out a little to properly offer his hand to sniff, "that's a good boy... If you are a boy, I'm not really sure how to check I'm afraid."

The Shieldon slowly leans forward, and _slowly_ sniffs at his hand. Then gives a little, adorable, sneeze and shakes its head softly. Doesn't dart back, doesn't attempt to attack, just shakes its head and snuffles.

He chooses to interpret it as an answer, instead of giving in to the steadily rising terror in his chest. Smiles even wider and keeps his hand where it is, "alright, I'm really sorry about that. A girl, then?"

The Shieldon snuffles again, in assent.

"How lovely," and he means it, too. He's not, despite Bucky's occasional teasing, _entirely_ adverse to the concept of lying - but he prefers not to do anything beyond the concept of a simple white lie, because it’s just easier to keep things simple and honest when you settle on those sort of rules, "you're a girl, then? Excellent... Can I name you? Would you like that?"

The Shieldon, in response to this... _Launches_ herself at him. Not an attack, though he does briefly tense, but an affectionate kind of tumble that ends with her sitting in his lap and staring innocently up at his face. Not to mention practically wagging her stubby little tail, like an _adorable_ thing.

"Alright," he laughs, he can't help himself - gently reaches out and runs his hand over the top of her crest (she preens under it. So, obviously a creature after his own heart), "alright... Do you mind if I call you Peggy? After an old friend of mine."

The Shieldon - Peggy - actually _bounces_ at that. Hopping up and down in his lap, as happy as can be.

"Oh, you like that!" He laughs again, bright and loud... Sobers a little as he remembers, drops his head and resists the urge to just bury himself under the pillows and attempt to forget again, "I think she would too, if she was here."

Peggy, the Shieldon version, stills at that too. Stares at him with wide, curious eyes. Slightly sad eyes, as if she can already pick up on his mood as well as Libby or Bucky in- in-

In the past.

"Not that I know where here is," he sighs, softly, and gently strokes his hand over Peggy's crest again - takes her pleased grumble with a slightly shakier smile, "or, indeed, anything else. Where here is, where my friends are, what happened, whether it worked..."

Peggy stares at him, wide eyed.

"I don't know," he says bleakly.

Peggy starts to tremble, just slightly, in his lap.

"I don't _know_ ," he repeats, even bleaker.

Peggy starts to _whine_ -

"I-" and he snaps out of it, at the sound of that - gently strokes at her crest again, and then goes the full hog of wrapping his arms around her and giving an ever so gentle squeeze, "but that's alright. We'll figure it out, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

Peggy trembles for another moment.

...Peggy makes a muffled querying noise, against his chest.

"Everything is going to be fine," and he repeats himself again - and smiles, a touch shaky but a touch determined, "I’m sure."

**Author's Note:**

> So, yes, this is based off two wonderful pieces of art that you've all probably seen (or should've seen because AWESOME), but that I'm going to link here so you can stare at the pretty some more:
> 
> The piece of art that originally inspired this piece: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7qan4O61G1qe481ao1_500.jpg   
> The reference for the rest of Steve's team: http://feriowind.deviantart.com/art/AVENGERS-PKMN-justice-314598270
> 
> ...Though my headcanon for how Steve acquired his team is slightly different, BUT OH WELL. 
> 
> (And before you worry, because this is a thought I had halfway through writing: Libby the Growlithe/Arcanine and Bucky the Rufflet/Braviary are both TOTALLY FINE. They were in Pokeballs on Steve when he was frozen, and so got frozen/unfrozen with him, the most that'll happen is a big cuddle party when they all realize that they're alive.)


End file.
